Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-03-13
A STRANGE PARTNERsHEP,


Christian Union.
Il IL hard when Morality has 10 fight
the world, the hesh, the dtvil, and the
saints; and 10 this complexion the tem-
paFance bsttla has GENE. or 10 rapidly
ceminq, in New York State. The Cros
by bill, the features Of whieh We have
often explaiDed TO eur readers. has been
introduced into the Legislature. Is
raises the license fee fer Distilled liquors
to $1,000. II discriminateA in favor Of
beer, but bV leaving Il only little high
er than ali the licenses used to be. IL
promises to divide the liquor interest,
which haa always heretofore been unit
ed, and IL enacted, will be supported, or
at least not resisted, by the brewers in
taYest. IL could be measurabiy. II not
paFfectlv, sRfoFcad 10 the great cities
where the greatest evils Of the saloon
are most Seriously experienced. The
experience Of Illinois, Nebraska, and
Missouri, dem anstrates, as far az any
experiment In so different locality can
demonstrate anything, that il would re-
duce the number of saloons and the
amoant OF drunkenness and disorder
Il would levy on the hqu9r business a
part of the tax Shich the liquor bust
ness involves, and so would make 10 at
least partly psy for itself. IL leaves the
local option features Of the present Law
unch sneed, 30 that in any locality in
which a msi lTity Of the people desire 10
close the saloons entirely they would
sill be able TO do so. II there 10 any "a ss-
ton on this Psiat-and We do not thiuk
there Is or can be any-it would be easy
10 amend the Law 90 as In terms TO con-
fer that power of local option. Il Reaf-
firms ali the restrictive clauses Of the
present Law, against Sunday selling,
selling to minors, and the like. 10 short.
il gives no advantage whatever to the
liquor traffic, and puts il under heavy
bonds and serious restrictions. And
yet. IL IL fails in the New York LsQisla-
ture, IL will fail because 90 called tenn
peFanoe men combine with the liquor
interest to defeat IL. Politics makes
strange baAfellovs; no stranger partner
ship has il made for many q day than
this between the whisky dealer and the
prshibitionist.
Look at it. New York State is State
Of great cities and Of foreign popula-
lions. There 10 not one Of these cities
IN which 4 majority vote could be Sc
cured today for prohibition; nor one In
which, II in q spasm Of virtue prohibi-
ton Was to carry at the polls, IL would
or could be enforced in the courts. This
may be possible in the future, bat oRly
In . comparatively remote futara and
after q long process OF agitation and
education. But In these cities public
continent is already aroused against the
saloon. A German vote can be secured
on sOcislistic grounds to reduce the
number Of whisky hops aHd 10 increase
the tai upon them, A knight Of L4bor
vote can be secured on industrial
grounds 10 the same eject. A Republi-
can vote can be secured on the ground
that the Republican party mast do
something serious with the liquor %. Q.
| tion or the liquor question will do some
thing serious With the Repa olioaA party.
A general moral and religions vote can
be secured for II on the Rround that a
fsw saloon are less in urieus than many.
4 and that beer IL less injurious than ram
| There 10 at last chance Of securing a
Lag that public sentiment will sanction
and enforce; and Just when temperance
men are taking courage and Dope, they
dad prohibition Leaders calling on theiV
| followers 20 reinforce the ranks Of the
whisky dealers and defeat the bill; IL
report b. srue, prohibitionists and iiqu r
leaders are WORKING together for this
purpose 10 the New York Legislature.
We have great respect for the con
science which undeFlies the pFohibil0Fy
movement; Ne have great rsspsct I, 2
the sipcere, honest, earnest, resointe
purpose 20 close the saloons at any and
every cost. Bat We have no respect for
the leadership which would sacrifice
Temperance reform for party ends, snd
ally itself With whisky IN order 10 pro
mote prohibition. We have no respect
fer shs Judgment which prefers free
.QnoS 20 q restricted tFafhc, or for the
moral prinsipls which resorts 80 q most
anholy alliEnce IN order 10 prevent q 0
stiles OF Mes. York State from reducing
crime by restrict ne lie chief fountains
sad 50 eoerce tbem into the support OF
= party which they do not choose and
principle thew DO not approve. We
have only q feeling Of Indignation for
= pelitical combinatisu between Whisky
men and prohibition leaders for tbs
purpose Of giving she Empire State
ever 20 drunk nBess; and that indigua-
ton is intensified By the defense inter-
posed, that 10 10 alWays darkest iast be-
fore dAy, a. Though the way to hasten
the coming sf the Lord vas 10 help the
devil 20 overresch himself. We call on
every minister IN the State to inform
himself Of tbs nature Of this bill by
uFiting 30 Me-. Robert GFshAm, OF the
Church Temperance Socisty, for infor-
nation respecting u, and then to give
MS people the information; we call on
every man Who pats temperance above
party. and u more dssirioas 10 shal 40
The saleop than 70 choose the lsok watch
shAll be Pot on the door. 20 write 20 bis
representatives in the New York Assem-
bly, nreing hin 20 zee every energy In
his power TO advance this wise and pFss
sleAl measure aud 10 secure its passage.